The latest California wildfires have spurred action from many in the travel industry. Not only did many airlines like Southwest and United offer free waivers to travelers traveling through the affected area, but American Airlines donated $400,000 to the Red Cross, as well as 5,000 hygiene comfort kits.
A new story has recently surfaced about the California wildfires and while it may be on a smaller scope of assistance, it's truly heartwarming.
Canadian couple Paul and Destinee Klyne from Penticton, British Columbia, had planned a California vacation in Paradise, California, but shortly before their arrival, their Airbnb burned down amid the wildfires that have taken the lives of 71 people.
Rather than cancel their trip, the Klynes decided to fly to California and spend their vacation helping their American neighbors.
Since Tuesday, November 13th, the couple has been going to Chico to hand out food and provide emotional support for hundreds of evacuees.
"We just took advantage of the [plane] tickets we already had," Paul told CTV Vancouver.
"They're devastated completely, there are horrible stories like that and on the flip side we see people running to embrace people and say 'I'm so happy you're alive.'"
The couple set up in the Walmart parking lot in Chico and put their vacation fund to good use.
"The funds we had allocated for our fun, we just thought, OK, why can't we help some people with that? So we went to Walmart and bought a bunch of $25 gift certificates and handed them out to people as we saw fit," Paul told the Montreal Gazette.
They also assisted with helping a food truck operator feed evacuees. They ran out of supplies at one point, but the next day, someone donated $2,000 to replenish the food truck's food supplies.
From there, the donations continued and more vendors joined in at the parking lot. The couple estimates that they served 1,200-1,5000 people on just Thursday, October 15th, alone. Donated funds were also used to buy more gift cards, fill gas tanks, and buy groceries.
"There's so much help that's needed, so many people are displaced," Paul said.
"It is so nice to be able to bring forth the Canadian spirit of giving, of compassion and generosity," said Destinee. "Especially in the times that we're in now, with the political (climate), it's kind of nice to say, 'You are our American neighbors and we love you.'"
The Klynes will return home on Sunday, but the help and service they've provided their southern neighbors will not be forgotten.
For the latest travel news, updates and deals, subscribe to the daily TravelPulse newsletter.
Topics From This Article to Explore
